A 33-year-old Filipino chef went on trial in the United Arab Emirates Sunday for allegedly trying to kill a colleague and steal some Dh120,000 (P1.429 million or US$ 33,000) last February from the restaurant where they both worked.

The UAE-based news site Khaleej Times reported Monday that the Filipino chef, whose name was withheld, was tried on Sunday in the Court of First Instance on charges of attempted murder and robbery.

Court records show that the Filipino hit his Pakistani co-worker several times with a hammer and tried to flee the country last Feb. 13.

Investigation showed that Dubai police learned of the incident when they received information about a man bleeding severely in the parking lot of the Mall of Emirates.

Criminal Investigation officers learned that a worker at the restaurant collected his passport and was about to go back to his home country of the Philippines.

“He was named as a suspect and we issued a circular to all exits to stop him from leaving the country," an Emirati lieutenant said during the investigation.

Abu Dhabi Police arrested the Filipino at Abu Dhabi International Airport the following day and handed him over to the Dubai Police.

He was allegedly found to have money and golden ornaments hidden in his shoe.

During interrogation, he allegedly admitted that he planned the assault, knowing that the victim was assigned to take the restaurant revenues to their main office.

Police said the Filipino chef picked up a hammer from a construction site and asked for a lift to his place in Al Quoz from the victim, who was driving a bus. Inside the vehicle, he allegedly attacked the victim with the hammer and took the money bag.

He was arrested as he was about to board a flight to the Philippines at the Abu Dhabi airport, police said. - JMA, GMANews.TV